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C-Section before due delivery date - is it safe of the new born?

Medical Science has improved so much that doctors sometimes suggest for C-Section before the due delivery date of a women based on the kid's health as per the USG report.
But I am afraid and concerned about the new born who is forcefully brought to this world before he is prepared in a natural way.
Here goes a short story of a very close friend of mine....... She was staying with her mother during her first delivery. Her attending doctor after getting her consent decides for a C-Section and not normal delivery. Unfortunately her father expired few years back and her husband was out of station. Both of them were in a state of fear and anxiety as to how will they handle the situation when the pain for delivery starts as the hospital was far away from their residence.
As and when the due date for delivery was approaching, both my friend and her mother were getting into a state of deep panic because of same thought of how to handle the situation.
Just 4 weeks before her delivery date he feels pain in her lower abdomen bearable though and informs her mother about the same. Her mother starts calling her friends to discuss if this is the right time to rush to the hospital for delivery or not.
One of her mother's most trust worthy friend suggests to take her to hospital before things goes out of control.
By the time she reaches hospital the pain subsides a little but her doctor, based on the USG reports decides although its 4 weeks before but its fine for the C-Section.
The child takes birth 4 weeks before and immediately after birth the new born had to be admitted to NICU. Being a preterm baby (perhaps by doctor's choice and not by chance) and having low immunity, the kid fell sick many more compared other kids of same age. This in turn impacted the kid's developmental cycle. He had delayed walking and no he is facing delayed taking as well. My friend still repents thinking that had she been a little strong and confident about assessing the severity of her pain and had not rushed to the doctor in a state of panic then perhaps his son would have been born on time and would have been stout and healthy like other kids of same age.
She is still confused whether her before time C-Section is actually related to her son's low immunity and suffering or not.
Friends....request your suggestion on the same so that I can convey your message to my friend

I'm sorry to hear what your friend went through. It's hard to comment specifically on this case as I don't know all the details of why a c-section was decided. It would have to be something medically significant to the baby or mother's health to have a c-section 4 weeks before the due date. This is not common but there are some medical conditions which would render it the best decision for mum and baby.

I think there are two factors here. The first is that a c-section, compared to a vaginal birth, introduces certain risks (for example of infection and there is also more likely to be problems with establishing breastfeeding) to mum and baby. For this reason, in many cases when it is medically necessary for the baby to come early a women would be induced. Having a c-section early (without any other reason to have a planned c-section if the pregnancy had gone full term) would be classed as an emergency c-section.

Secondly, babies who are born before term (i.e. before 37 weeks) are at more risk of health problems and likely to have some developmental delays at first. It depends on how premature a baby is but many of these babies 'catch up' (so to speak) their peers. Am I right in thinking your friend's baby was born at 36 weeks? So this would be premature but at the later end of premature.

I would tell your friend not to feel guilty. I hope, and would expect, that the decision to perform a c-section at 36 weeks was made because of health concerns relating to the baby (most likely) or the mum. In these cases, even though a baby is premature it gives the best possible outcome overall.